Child s crib or cradle



(No Model.)

C. P. BOPP. GHILDS CRIB OR CRADLE.

No. 339,413. PaltentedApr. 6, 1886.

N. Pneus, Pmwmhcgnpm. wnmwgwngc UNITED STATES CARL FRIEDRICH HOPF,

OF CHICAGO, lLLINOISa CHILDS CRIB OR CRADLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,413, dated April 6, 1886.

Application filed April 1T, 1&85.

.To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL FRIEDRICH HOPE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Cribs or Cradles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked hereon, which form a part of this specificaion. V

This invention relates to an improvement in folding childrens cradles or cribs; and it consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

rlhe invention is herein illustrated in connection with that forni of cradle having a stationary lower part or base-frame supporting an upper part or cradle proper provided with rockers; but certain parts of my invention are applicable to other kinds of cribs or cradles, as will hereinafter appear.

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I is aside elevation, partially in central vertical section, of a crib or cradle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View showing the locking device i'or holding the sides of the crib upright, taken upon line a: x of Fig. I.

In the said drawings, A is the main part or cradle proper, which is provided at each end with rockers a a, and B is a lower stationary base-frame or platform, upon which the upper pirt rests, and which is provided with legs b The part A of the cradle consists, principally, ol' a main frame formed by end rails, A A", to which the rockers a c are attached,

y and longitudinal or side rails, AQ A?, secured to the end rails, head and foot pieces, Cand C, hinged to the end rails of the frame, and side pieces, D D, hinged to the side rails.

The head and foot pieces, C C', are shown constructed in the usual manner with vertical side posts and paneled head and foot boards secured to said posts, saidhead and footpieces being connected with the end rails, A A', by means of ordinary hinges c c c c in such man- Selll ND. 162,551. (No model.)

ner that their tops may be folded inwardly toward the middle of the cradle.

The side pieces, D D, of the cradle are attached by means of hinges d el to the side rails, A2 A2, and said side pieces are likewise adapted to fold inwardly.

The hinged joints or pivotal connections formed by the hinges between the side pieces and the frame are located in a plane below that of the hinged connection uniting the head and foot pieces with the frame, so that when the said side pieces are folded inwardly into a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the end pieces may be folded over them, as clearly indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. l.

The side pieces, D D, are preferably made flat or without projecting ornaments upon their sides, andthe tops of the side rails and the hinges d are in aplane located below the tops of the end rails and the hinges c a distance equal to the thickness of the said side pieces, so that when the parts are folded the end or head and foot pieces will fold closely over the side pieces, and the entire structure will thereby be brought into an exceedingly compact shape.

The side and end rails, A A2, may be provided with the usual cross-slats, upon which a mattress may be placed, as shown, the said rails preferably being made of suflicient width or depth to enable the side and end pieces to be folded down over the mattress, so that the latter may remain in place when the cradle is folded.

As herein shown, the side posts of the head and foot pieces,Cand C', are made to meet end to end at the middle part of the crib, and the head-board is provided with a removable ornamental top piece,C2,held in place by dowelpins, as shown in dotted lines, which extend above the side posts, and which may be taken oft' when the parts are folded. The parts may ofcourse in practice be otherwise proportioned than as herein shown, so as to render it unnecessary to make a part of the head-board removable. By locating the hinges connecting the head and foot pieces, Cand Cf, with the frame adjacent to the inner faces of the parts, the said head and foot pieces will obviously be held from being thrown past an upright IOO rails B2.

position when raised; and to hold said head and foot pieces from fallinginwardly the side pieces, D D, are arranged to fit at their ends closely against the inner faces of the side posts of said head andfoot pieces when the parts are unfolded.

Any suitable locking device may be provided for holding the said side pieces in their vertical position. A preferred device for this purpose is herein shown, in which circular plates E are pivoted to the inner faces of the side pieces, D D,at each end thereof, said plates being in position to engage notches c e in the side posts, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and pivoted near one of their edges and adapted to hang normally in position for engagement with the notches in a well-l nown manner. The lower platform or frame, B, is composed, as shown, of two transverse end pieces, B', upon which the rockers a rest, and longitudinal pieces or rails B2, connecting said end pieces.

In order to retain the rock ers permanently and accurately in position upon the end pieces, B', each of the latter is provided at its middle with a transveisely-arranged vertical plate, F, secured in the said end pi ecc and passing throii gli a slot, a', Fig. l., in the rocker, made considerably larger at its upper part than the width of the said plate F, but fitting closely to the edges of said plate at its bottom, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The said plate F is, as shown, preferably iiiade with curved edges converging upwardly,aiid is provided iiear its upper end with a removable piii,f, to prevent the rocker being lifted entirely from the lower frame.

In order to provide means for locking the upper part of the cradle im iiiovably upon the frame or platform B, as may be desired in transporting the cradle, or when it is desired to hold the upper part stationary and use the article as a crib, I have provided pivoted hooks G for connecting the upper part of the cradle with the base-frame. Said hooks are preferably pivoted upon the basefra1ne at either side thereof, and are adapted to engage pins or studs g, attached to the side rails, A2

A2. Said pins are desirably located upon the inner facesof the said railsAi, and are pivoted to the middle of the rails B2 of the base-franie, a preferred construction in the parts being herein shown in which said hooks are rigidly attached to the ends of the transverse rod G', supported in bearings g', attached to the said The hooks G are preferably each provided with a lever or handle, G2, by which they may be easily operated.

The construction in the hooks above set forth affords the obvious advantages that the hooks on both sides of the cradle may be engaged at once, and that said hooks may be manipulated from either side of the cradle.

In order to enable the base-frame B of the cradle to be folded into a small compass, I preferably construct said frame as follows: The legs b at each end of the frame are attached to a cross-piece, B, locatedbelow and hinged to the niain end piece, B', of the frame. The outer surface ofthis cross-pieee is desirably made flush with the pieces B', and ornamented in such manner that the joint is ineon spieuous. The hinges b', connecting the said pieces B' and B3, are placed at the inner faces of the latter, so that the legs and the crosspiece B3 are free to fold inward and dat against the rails Bi, as clearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. l.

As a simple and convenient means of locking the legs in position for use, one or Amore longitudinal bars, II, are pivoted at their ends near one of their edges to the :inner faces of the end pieces, B', and are so arranged that when placed vertically their ends will rest against the inner faces of the cross-pieces B3, and thereby prevent the latter from folding inwardly, and when turned into a horizontal position they will be free from the said crosspieces and allow the legs to be folded. Two of the said bars II are desirably used in praetice, said bars being placed near the inner edges of the longitudinal pieces Bl of the basefraine, so that when they are turned down or into a vertical position they will appear to be a part of the base-frame, and will give an appearance of greater solidity and niassiveness thereto.

An important advantage is gained by the use of the hooks G in connection with the folding upper part and hase-frame, for the reason that the two parts of the cradle may be lirmly held together by said hooks when folded for transportation or storage.

I ani aware that a locking device for securing the ends of the folding side pieces to the folding head and foot pieces of a crib has heretofore been employed, consisting of hooks pivoted in the head and foot pieces and constructed to engage and rest at their free ends upon studs in the side pieces. The locking devices herein shown differ from that above described as having been heretofore used in consisting of a flat plate pivoted upon the side piece of the crib adjacent to its end, and adapted, when hanging freely, to engage at one of its edges a notch in the head or foot piece.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with a cradle provided with rockers a, and having pins g at its sides, and a base-frame supporting the cradle, of a rock-shaft, G', arranged transversely of 'the base-frame and supported in bearings thereon, and provided at both ends with hooks G, adapted to engage the pins g, and with handles G2, whereby both hooks may be engaged and disengaged at once from either side of the cradle, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a cradle, of a base-frame consisting of end pieces, B', and longitudinal rails B, and provided at each end with legs b b, united by a cross-bar, B3, hinged to the end pieces, B', of longitudinal bars H,pivoted at their ends to the cross-bars B,adjacent to the rails B2, and adapted to turn IOO IIO

downwardly between the inner faces of the eross-bars B3, substantially as and for the purposev set forth.

3. The conibination,with the main frame of a crib or cradle, of folding head and foot pieces, C and C', provided upon their inner faces with vertical grooves or notches e, and folding side pieces, D D, constructed to rest against the inner faces of the head and footpieces when the parts are in position for use, and a locking device for the side pieces, consisting of iiat verticallyarranged plates E, pivoted upon the sides of the side pieces by Inyinvention I afiix my signature in presence 2o of two witnesses. v

CARL FRIEDRICH HOFF.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, OLIVER E. PAGIN.

said plates being con- 15 

